A year after a jury acquitted George Zimmerman of murdering Trayvon Martin, the trial's outcome clearing the former neighborhood watch volunteer is a source of ongoing activism and debate.

After deliberating for more than 15 hours over two days, a jury of six women found Zimmerman not guilty of second-degree murder and manslaughter on July 13, 2013.

Today, Trayvon's family and their supporters are channeling frustration over the verdict into improving the criminal justice system and preventing racial discrimination.

At the same time, Zimmerman's former attorney started a non-profit to address flaws in the justice system, while Zimmerman's oldest brother continues to work at changing the way people think about his embattled sibling.

"Before (the verdict), there might have been some confusion or uncertainty as to how evil a state or judicial system could be, how blind a jury could be," said Phillip Agnew, 29, executive director of Dream Defenders, a human rights organization formed in the wake of the 2012 fatal shooting of Trayvon. "But after that, it was really, really clear that we are prisoners of war. Our communities are occupied by a police force that kills, that profiles and is deputizing citizens and allowing them to treat poor people and people of color the same way."

Zimmerman argued he shot Trayvon, 17, in self defense after the teen attacked him in a gated Sanford, Fla., community on Feb. 26, 2012. Trayvon's family maintains the young man, who was black and wearing a hoodie, was profiled, pursued and murdered. The case and outcome captured the nation's attention and set off demonstrations.

Police initially did not charge Zimmerman with a crime, citing Florida's stand-your-ground law, which states a person does not have to retreat in the face of a threat and can use deadly force if fearing danger of death or serious harm.

Now, Agnew and other activists say their lives have been inspired by a verdict they see as unjust. Trayvon's parents have a foundation named after the late teen that advocates for changes to stand-your-ground laws and supports families whose loved ones have died in gun violence. Motivated by the events, a California-based company is helping develop an emergency response mobile app, and an after-school academy for young black men in Pittsburgh is using Trayvon as a real-world example about stereotypes in the media.

Dream Defenders swarm the Capitol rotunda in Tallahassee during their occupation of the Florida Capitol after the acquittal of George Zimmerman.(Photo: Dream Defenders)

VERDICT PROMPTS ACTIVISM

Dream Defenders was founded soon after Trayvon's death by Agnew and 39 others. The group marched to Sanford, held protests and even blocked the entrance to the Sanford Police Department to demand the arrest of Zimmerman. Three days after the verdict, dozens of Dream Defenders staged a 31-day sit-in at the Capitol building in Tallahassee to demand Florida Gov. Rick Scott call a special session on the state's stand-your-ground law. The session was never called, but the group hasn't stopped organizing, Agnew said.

This summer, Dream Defenders is holding eight freedom schools across Florida that, through days-long workshops, will mirror the work of 1960s freedom schools, established as an alternative to Mississippi's severely segregated school system, Agnew said.The group will also be encouraging young people of color to vote through a grass-roots program called the BLOC is Ours.

"The death of Trayvon Martin was very symbolic; it represented all black and brown youth and their fight to be heard and represented and to be treated equally to white people," said Sara Bojd, 22, vice president of the group's Tampa chapter. "There was a time when I used to be indifferent and I would just go on with my day and not think about issues affecting people without power. After the Trayvon Martin verdict, I can't do that as a human being. I need to step up and share my privilege."

Kalimah Priforce, co-founder of Qeyno Labs in Oakland felt a similar pull when he learned of the verdict. The 34-year-old said the company originally aimed to create educational products such as mobile applications for high school students. After Zimmerman was found not guilty, Qeyno Labs became focused on answering a question: Could an app have saved Trayvon Martin?

The group hosted a hackathon for young people of color in February to come up with such an app. The winner: The Help Circle, an emergency application that helps teens notify those closest to them that they may be in danger.

"It's changed our company and our focus to creating experiences around technology innovation, technology inclusion and making sure that the Trayvon Martins of the our world are empowered to build web and mobile apps for the Trayvon Martins of the world," Priforce said.

Soon after the verdict, Jasiri X, a Pittsburgh rapper and activist, made a song expressing his frustration with the outcome. Years before, he founded One Hood Media, which runs workshops and classes on prejudices and media literacy for young black teens. While his work predated the trial, the verdict drove home the points he had been stressing to participants.

"It was really a moment for them to really see this system doesn't work for me as a young black person," Jasiri X, 31, said. "We saw students take the class more seriously and take being empowered to tell their own story more seriously."

George Zimmerman smiles after a not guilty verdict was handed down in his trial at the Seminole County Courthouse on July 13, 2013, in Sanford, Fla.(Photo: AP)

A LEGAL VICTORY WITHOUT WINNERS

Such activism frustrates Robert Zimmerman, George Zimmerman's older brother. He said George Zimmerman is unfairly included in examples of senseless gun violence and racial profiling and continues to live under a shroud of unjust negativity related to the shooting.

The verdict was a legal victory without winners, said Robert Zimmerman, who explained that reports continue to describe his brother as the man acquitted of murdering Trayvon Martin rather than the man who "who killed Trayvon Martin in self-defense after he attacked him."

"Our system really has no say in the dialogue," said Zimmerman, 33, of Lake Mary, Fla. "It's sad that a lot of these organizations and political action committees and foundations and everything else that's popped up after the case are preying on people's emotions and doing very little to educate people about the reality of their right to self defense."

Robert Zimmerman has said George Zimmerman, who is going through a divorce, is homeless and sleeps in the homes of friends and supporters. George Zimmerman, 30, is unemployed with $2.5 million in debt and lists his total assets at $14,000, according to several reports citing his divorce papers.

Despite these issues, Robert Zimmerman has his own goals borne out of his brother's issues: to have frank discussions and new protocols for dispatchers. George Zimmerman's conservation with a dispatcher became controversial after the dispatcher was recorded telling Zimmerman he didn't need to follow Trayvon. Some argued it proved Zimmerman pursued the teen while Zimmerman said he was walking back to his car when Trayvon attacked him.

Robert Zimmerman says he wants people to better understand dispatchers' roles and how to establish their whereabouts during such calls. George Zimmerman's talk with dispatcher didn't clearly establish where he was, but if it had there wouldn't be question of whether he was walking back to his car.

Mark O'Mara, one of the attorneys who represented Zimmerman at his trial, also has his own initiatives. He started Justice Outreach, a non-profit designed to identify and fix problems with the justice system as well as TalkingRace, an online project aimed at collecting and studying experiences with racism.

O'Mara said he wants people to accept the verdict and recognize that the system worked in Zimmerman's trial. He fears the verdict polarized people but is happy that the case has gotten people talking about racial injustices more.

An original artwork of Trayvon Martin — with smaller images of other children lost to violence — was a gift from actor Jamie Foxx. The artwork hangs in the conference room of the Trayvon Martin Foundation offices, which were opened June 26, 2014.(Photo: Marsha Halper, AP)

'I WILL NEVER ACCEPT THE VERDICT'

Benjamin Crump, an attorney for Trayvon's family, hopes to change the way stand-your-ground instructions are given to juries. For him, those inspired by Trayvon's story make the work worth it — despite the verdict.

Sybrina Fulton, Trayvon's mother, is hoping to build a legacy for her son while dealing with the jury's decision.

"I will never accept the verdict," Fulton, 48, said. "I still feel like my son was murdered."

Fulton and others have worked through the Trayvon Martin Foundation to host events for parents who have lost children, to advocate for changes to stand-your-ground laws and to provide financial support to families of victims who died from gun violence. The foundation has also given out school supplies and plans to hold teen forums where youngsters can talk about stand-your-ground laws and feeling safe.

Fulton's ex-husband and Trayvon's father, Tracy Martin, are also having a peace talk and walk in Los Angeles on July 19.

"I am about using the negative energy — that pain, sorrow and disappointment," Fulton said. "We need to make sure our future is educated, empowered and knowledgeable and that they are not afraid."

Agnew and many other young activists share Fulton's goals. For them, the night George Zimmerman was found not guilty changed everything.

"It was an alarm clock for a lot of people," Agnew said. "If you were sleeping, you woke up at that moment. If you were awake, you yelled out at other people to wake them up."